Ryan Fox reflects on maiden PGA Tour win, securing PGA Championship berth at Myrtle Beach Classic

Ryan Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic in a playoff. Photo / AFP

The pieces have finally all fallen into place for Ryan Fox.

For the past two months, the Kiwi golfer has often noted that his game was close to being where it needed to be to challenge for PGA Tour wins; it would just be a case of putting it together over a week.

Such has been the case on tour this year, it hasn’t taken much for a promising tournament to turn into a finish outside the top 30.

But at the same venue that saw him begin to find his groove in 2024, Fox secured his first win as a member of the biggest tour in the sport.

Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina this morning, getting the better of Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and American Harry Higgs in a sudden-death playoff.

It took just one hole to separate the three after they finished the tournament 15-under-par; Fox chipping in from about 54ft (16.5m) for birdie and having a nervous wait as Higgs and Hughes missed their putts to match him – Higgs from 30ft (9m) and Hughes from 17ft (5m).

“To be honest, I kind of struggled to watch it to start with,” Fox told Newstalk ZB of his opponents’ attempts.

“You’re not wishing someone to do badly, but on the other hand, I’ve had a couple go the other way in playoffs for me, people hole long putts on me to either win or carry on a playoff.

“So I kind of was just wishing for a bit of luck in that respect for something to go my way and Mac’s one of the better putters on the PGA Tour, I think statistically he’s up there most years and I was definitely expecting him to give it a real good chance.

“I was obviously very chuffed to see it slide by.

“I also feel for those guys. I played with Harry and Mac a few times; they’re both really good guys, and they obviously played some really good golf today, but today was my day and, yeah, very, very happy with how it turned out.”

It was the sort of performance Fox had been trying to find.

He started his week strong, and though his second and third rounds were very up and down, he showed composure to get back the shots he dropped and then some.

After a third round that featured an incredible mix of six bogeys and nine birdies left him three shots off the lead with 18 holes to play, he was blemish-free with five birdies, with the cards falling in his favour to force the playoff.

Now a winner on the tour, Fox has unlocked a lot of doors.

He secured one of the two final spots at this week’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina, as well as entry into The Memorial Tournament in late May – a signature event with a limited field and no cut.

Fox also locked up his debut at The Sentry and his fourth appearance at The Players Championship, both in 2026. His ranking in the FedEx Cup standings jumped 76 places to 62.

Being a winner on the tour also secures his card for the next two seasons.

“It takes the pressure off for the rest of the year,” he said.

“Hopefully, I can just play some freer golf in the next little while and that certainly helps. It helped in Europe a couple of years ago, getting the winners category and taking all that pressure off, and it’s certainly nice to know I’ve got a job out here for the next little while.”

He said things had been hectic on the course after the win, with media obligations and presentations, but was thrilled to have his wife, Anneke, and daughters, Isobel and Margot, there with him to celebrate.

As someone who believes in savouring and celebrating the wins when they come, he said his plans were set before making the drive up to Quail Hollow tomorrow.

“I managed to stop at a supermarket for a frozen pizza and a bottle of wine, and that’s going to be me for tonight.”

Ryan Fox’s PGA Tour season so far

Wins

Myrtle Beach Classic

Made cuts

Myrtle Beach Classic - 1Texas Children’s Houston Open - T15.

The Players Championship - T20.

Valspar Championship - T47.

Corales Puntacana Championship - T59.

CJ Cup Byron Nelson - T60. Phoenix Open - T63.

Missed cuts

Mexico Open, Cognizant Classic, Valero Texas Open, Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.